tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58482782552892601212014-10-03T00:53:58.348-07:00What Indian and Primal??Primal eating Indian style!Vaidehihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16090635366436541991noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848278255289260121.post-34979657302371954322012-05-11T12:53:00.000-07:002012-05-11T12:53:23.390-07:00Get out of the kitchen no sooner than you get in!!<div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Well, while that is technically not possible going primal/paleo will certainly save you a lot of kitchen time...think of all the wonderful things you can do in that time: plop some more on the couch, more tv time, more online blog gawking/shopping OR you can exercise, do some squats, pushups, jumping jacks, weights, play with your family/friends/pets, dig in the garden, read for an extra hour etc. So if you are a primal here is an example of time saving meals for 2 days (1 person).</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Day 1: </div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Breakfast:</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><u><a href="http://whatindianprimal.blogspot.com/2012/02/breakfast-smoothies.html">Choco-berry smoothie</a>,</u> topped with 1 tsp cacao nibs.<u> </u></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Lunch:</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><u>Salad</u> consisting of 2 cups chopped baby spinach, halved cherry tomatoes 2-3, chopped carrot 1, chopped cucumber 1, chopped boiled egg 1 and few chopped kalamata olives. Dressing was balsamic vinegar drizzled with salt and pepper. Sometimes I add a chopped green chilli if I have it. </div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Make sure you are using organic/seasonal veggies (all veggies need not be organic, as a rule of thumb the thick skinned ones can be conventional but for the thin skinned and leafy greens go for organic) and the real balsamic vinegar <i>(Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale</i>)<i>.</i></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Dinner: </div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><u>Sweet potato "fries"</u>:</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Pre-heat oven to 425F. Cut 2 sweet potatoes into match sticks (skin on if organic), toss them with 1 tbsp coconut oil/ghee, salt, pepper, rosemary (dried, 1 tsp). Arrange in a single layer on a cookie sheet and stick in the oven. Cook for about 15-20 mins on each side.&nbsp;</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">&nbsp; </div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">While the fries are baking, I made <u>Mirchi ka salan</u>: I used <a href="http://www.nandyala.org/mahanandi/archives/2007/05/10/mirchi-ka-salan-from-hyderabad/">this</a> recipe because its really simple and quick. Some modifications I made are as follows:</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I halved the recipe because I only had 6 jalapenos.</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Skipped the cinnamon (not a big fan) added 1/2 tsp turmeric.</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Skipped peanuts completely and added macadamia nuts instead! Peanuts are&nbsp;<a href="http://whole9life.com/2011/04/legume-manifesto/">legumes</a>, not nuts hence best avoided. Macadamia nuts have a very neutral flavor and replace peanuts wonderfully in this dish, they also have the <a href="http://www.marksdailyapple.com/nuts-omega-6-fats/#axzz1uJXoCKmK">least omega-6</a> fatty acids amongst all nuts making them a tad bit healthier than others.</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Dinner was half the <u>fries</u> and <u>mirchi ka salan</u> with a <u>bowl of plain yoghurt</u> (sprinkled with powdered cumin and rock salt).</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Day 2:</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Breakfast:</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><u>2 boiled eggs (prepped night before) with 6-8 soaked almonds</u>.</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Lunch:</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Leftover <u>mirchi ka salan</u>, <u>sweet potato fries</u> (were no longer crispy but tasted good) and <u>carrots and cucumber</u>.</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Dinner:</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://whatindianprimal.blogspot.com/2012/03/yesindian-primal-appetizers.html">Grilled shrimp</a> (about 16 jumbo shrimp arranged on 4 skewers).</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I marinated the shrimp for about 30 mins. While the shrimp was being marinated I made <u>Beet&nbsp; Tzatziki</u> (If there is such a thing).</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Take about about 1/2 cup shredded beet, add it to 1 cup whisked yoghurt (I used normal yoghurt, but if you have Greek yogurt that works the best). Add to it 2 cloves of garlic minced, crushed black pepper, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp chopped cilantro (mint or dill is used in the original recipe) and salt. Mix well and refrigerate it while you grill shrimp.</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><u>Methi sabzi:</u> Roughly chopped methi leaves stir fried in ghee with green chillies, garlic, salt and garnished with shredded coconut. </div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Dinner was half of the <u>shrimp</u>, <u>beet tzatziki</u> and <u>methi subzi</u>, leftovers were next days lunch.</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">While this may seem little food to many, once you adopt the primal lifestyle you wont feel the need to eat as much as you did on a grain based diet. Do not worry, this is completely healthy because you are eating only as much as your body needs. By removing grains you wont <a href="http://rajganpath.com/2010/07/31/lets-talk-numbers/">miss out on any nutrients</a>, in fact the above mentioned meals have more and varied nutrients than a grain based meal. If you work out daily you can up the carbohydrate content by adding more starchy tubers or veggies. I will post such meal ideas every once in a while and hopefully you will find them useful!</div>Vaidehihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16090635366436541991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848278255289260121.post-1201869860746146122012-05-05T08:39:00.001-07:002012-05-05T09:07:28.209-07:00The changes we can make, let's start with Kale chips!<div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Three years ago my Dad was here one moment and gone the next, that is exactly how it happened! He was diabetic and </span>had suffered a mild heart attack about 6 years before this event, but the fact that he had even suffered from these conditions in the first place was surprising to us! He was a picture of health: as a former college level athlete and a strapping young man, everyone in the family admired his health and lean physique when most men were literally ballooning. At 35 years of age his diabetes was reveled to us and after initial shock my mom made appropriate changes to our diet, like cut sugar and starch consumption and cook with less oil. We already ate quite healthy, refined and restaurant foods were banned in the house unless mom made it herself. My dad too accepted these changes, he was never a fan of eating out, snacking etc. all he ate was three square meals with tea in the morning and afternoon. He followed exercise (walking, yoga) and his dietary restrictions strictly except the times he was traveling for work. This continued for several years where his sugar levels fluctuated but remained in control until the day he got his first heart attack. We were shocked again and it was confusing that how could someone who was following such a strict diet and exercise even suffer from heart disease. Since it was a mild heart attack he did not require an invasive surgery and was on medication only. My mom made further doctor suggested changes to our diet where she cut out saturated fat sources like coconut, ghee and cook with "heart healthy" Saffola oil! Yet six years later he was gone from a second severe heart attack! It was very confusing to me because I couldn't fathom how on earth could this happen, not "why did this happen to my dad thought" but why was it happening to him when we thought we were doing everything right!</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I think now I know why, three years after he is gone! While a change to sedentary lifestyle is a big factor in poor health our current diet plays an even bigger role<span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">. T</span>he prescribed low-fat high-carb diet is getting us nowhere close to good health. Indian diet as we know is grain dominated (hence high in carbs) and poor in proteins (lets face its dals, beans, pulses offer paltry amounts of protein compared to animal sources); meats and vegetables are deemed as sides and the good fats are shunned due to a bad rapport. The "seemingly healthy" whole wheat chapati (sans ghee) and rice led to <a href="http://www.marksdailyapple.com/diabetes/#axzz1sSMx4PHu">sustained high sugar levels</a> in my diabetic dad's blood, anti-nutrients in "healthy wheat" were causing unhealthy-<a href="http://www.marksdailyapple.com/why-grains-are-unhealthy/#axzz1sSNwNuGR">issues</a> and grains being choc-a-bloc with the pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acid, caused continued&nbsp;<a href="http://www.marksdailyapple.com/what-is-inflammation/#axzz1u0J5lyvK">inflammation</a> in the body. The "heart healthy" saffola oil (or any seed or vegetable oil) which is full of the bad poly-unsaturated fatty acid was wrecking a havoc his arteries by <a href="http://www.springerlink.com/content/350458182q7jl86t/">generating oxidized LDL</a>. These may not be the only reasons, but they were some of the major reasons. I know this now because I have been following a number of <a href="http://www.marksdailyapple.com/#axzz1sSHQO5Oa">primal</a>, <a href="http://robbwolf.com/blog/">paleo</a> and <a href="http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/">whole health</a> blogs! I sincerely wish I knew this information three years ago!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What I have come to realize is:</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We don't have to have to live with diabetes, heart-diseases, arthritis etc.</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We don't have to be plump/overweight/obese (which IMHO we have come to accept as a phenomenon that happens with marital status, age, job etc, its really not supposed to be that way)</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We don't have to be confused/frustrated if the weight wont fall off or if we don't feel better in spite of eating "healthy"</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This bring me to the title of today's post, I just want to point of the changes we can make so no one has to suffer themselves or for their near-dear ones. How to do that? "Let thy food be thy medicine", changing diet will win 80% of the war and exercise will fulfill the next 20%.&nbsp; </span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1) Cut the sugar and grains: Specifically grains containing gluten, rice is okay to consume but its pure carbs so go easy.&nbsp; </span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2) Embrace the good fats: Coconut oil/ cow-ghee to cook (olive oil is okay for salad dressing not for cooking)</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3) Introduce meat in your diet if you can (grass fed-meats and pastured eggs specifically), for vegetarians eat lentils/beans/pulses that have been soaked (8-10 hrs in acidic medium) or sprouted. Dairy if you have to should be full-fat and raw. Fermented dairy is great!! </span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4) Eat all possible veggies you can, go easy on fruits. Eat a rainbow, more color = higher anti-oxidant level.&nbsp; </span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">5) Make exercise a necessity, not an option. Focus on complete body exercise (weights,&nbsp; rather than cardio training.</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I have already highlighted the above changes&nbsp;<a href="http://whatindianprimal.blogspot.com/2012/02/key-to-good-health.html">here.</a> </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Coming to the recipe, I was never big on snacking but did enjoy potato-chips if a bag was lying around me! Kale leaves can be quickly baked into delicious chips that have the same crunch as potato chips, but none of that accompanying bad stuff!! The key to making crunchy kale chips is that before baking them kale should be completely dry and add salt in the end after the chips are baked so that the kale doesn't release water! Kale is considered to be a nutritional power house, however when combined with coconut oil it helps in better absorption of nutrients.&nbsp; </span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Based on recipe from <a href="http://nomnompaleo.com/post/2648091289/whole30-compliant-diy-snacks-baked-kale-chips">Nom Nom Paleo</a></span><br /><u><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ingredients:</span></u><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 bunch red kale</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 tbsp coconut oil</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">salt and pepper for seasoning</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u>Method</u>:&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Preheat the oven to 350F. Wash the kale, drain and tear the kale leaves from the center ribs. Spread out the torn leaves on a kitchen towel and either air dry or pat dry completely. Once dry toss the kale leaves with coconut oil, such that all leaves are properly coated. Arrange the kale leaves in a <b>single layer only</b> on a baking sheet and bake at 350F for about 12-15 minutes till the leaves crisp up! Season with salt and pepper and enjoy the crunchy kale chips. Not that there will be any leftovers, but if you want to store them make sure that the chips are completely cool before packing them in an air-tight container. &nbsp; </span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />Other primal snacking ideas: boiled egg, avocado, homemade nuts mix (go easy on sweet ones), dark chocolate, celery sticks with almond butter. More ideas <a href="http://www.marksdailyapple.com/primal-blueprint-snacks/#axzz1u0aNSfiP">here.</a></span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Disclaimer: </span><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> I am not a licensed medicinal practitioner or a nutritionist/dietician qualified to give medical or nutrition advice. My views are solely based on my research and observations from my own eating regimen and should be considered as recommendations, not as professional advice.</span></div>Vaidehihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16090635366436541991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848278255289260121.post-58226538999807898152012-04-07T07:34:00.001-07:002012-04-07T07:39:43.416-07:00Kadhi for the So(u)l and some crunch!<div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I am back with the sol kadhi (kokum kadhi) recipe I <a href="http://whatindianprimal.blogspot.com/2012/03/indian-coastal-style-green-chicken.html">promised</a>.&nbsp;<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garcinia_indica">Kokum</a> is a fruit native to the the western region of India. Kokum is actually the sun-dried outer cover of the fruit. It has a gorgeous pink color and is used as souring agent in curries, kinda similar to tamarind. Kokum is easily available in Indian grocery stores (sold as wet black kokum), I stock mine (from Malvan :) ) when I visit home or mom sends a parcel. Sol kadhi is made by mixing the kokum extract with coconut milk, flavored with cumin, chili and garlic. My mom generally uses half of the first extract of coconut milk with half of second extract coconut milk. I just use the canned coconut milk which is believe is completely the first extract (make sure the cans are BPA free). Kokum kadhi is generally paired with the heavy non-vegetarian meals as it helps in digestion but really it can be had on its own as well. If you dont have coconut milk on hand, you can leave it out and voila you have a very refreshing summer drink!</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><u>Ingredients</u>:</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">1 cup coconut milk</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">7-8 kokum (soaked for 30 mins. in hot water)</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">2 green chillies (hot like Thai bird)</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">1 large garlic clove &nbsp;</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">1/2 tsp cumin seeds</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">2 tbsp coriander (cilantro) leaves </div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">a little jaggery</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">salt to taste</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><u>Method</u>:</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Using a mortar pestle coarsely grind chillies, garlic, cumin and 1tbsp coriander leaves. Fish out the soaked kokum after 30 mins and mix the ground mixture in the kokum water. Add coconut milk to the the kokum water with the jaggery and salt. Gradually dilute the kadhi to a consistency where it is not too think neither too watery. Check the taste such that it is a right balance between thee sour, sweet and salty taste!</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Moving on to the crunch, since now-a-days I no longer eat chapati or rice (white rice is occasional affair) with my meals, I like to have a little crunchy sides along with the main dish and salad. Tubers are VFM of nutrition because they pack a lot of nutrients in very little calories! I have recently started making these sweet potato chips, not only do they taste wonderful they can be quickly put together as well. It is a very versatile recipe in that it can be used with any combination of tubers such as sweet potatoes, yams, colocasia root with any seasoning such as italian, lime-pepper, taco seasoning etc. I am posting the recipe that involves baking the chips, but they can be easily cooked on stove-top using a little extra oil (just don't use semolina). </div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><u>Ingredients</u>:</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">1 sweet potato (thoroughly washed and scrubbed)</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">1/2 tsp turmeric</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">1 tsp red chilli powder</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">1/2 tbsp kasoori methi (finely powdered by rubbing between palms)</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">salt to taste</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">2 tbsp coconut oil</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><u>Method</u>:</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Pre-heat the oven to 400F. Slice the sweet potato to 1/4th inch slices with skin-on and dunk them in hot water for 10 mins. After 10 mins drain them into mixing bowl and add rest of the ingredients, toss well to coat the potatoes completely. Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and stick in the oven on the lowest rack. Bake for 15 mins on each side, till done (brown spots appear on surface).</div>Vaidehihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16090635366436541991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848278255289260121.post-58467475737069456492012-04-07T07:34:00.000-07:002012-04-07T07:41:23.716-07:00Amazing anda masala (Poached egg Indian style)<div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Turning&nbsp;<a href="http://whatindianprimal.blogspot.com/2012/02/key-to-good-health.html">primal</a> has not only dramatically changed my health but meal prep has become a lot easier. This is a blessing because once I get home from work I only have less than an hour's worth of energy left to cook two meals (a dinner and next days lunch). Egg is the easiest to make on particularly lazy days. Pastured/desi eggs (from hens freely roaming outdoor) are rich in all the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/2007-10-01/Tests-Reveal-Healthier-Eggs.aspx">good-for-you nutrients</a> unlike inhumanely raised factory-farmed eggs, they are delicious and buying pastured eggs means that you support small farmers who have chosen to do things the right way! I have been wanting to make poached eggs, but didn't want to eat them plain. So, I twisted my favorite mom's egg curry to resemble poached eggs. Its a very simple recipe and the end result is oh-so fabulous!</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Ingredients:</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">3 pastured eggs (two for dinner and one for breakfast)</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">1 tbsp butter (from grassfed cow's milk)</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">1/2 tsp jeera seeds</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">1 tsp ginger-garlic paste</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">1/2 medium onion finely chopped</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">3 tbsp crushed tomatoes (I used canned ones)</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">1 tsp chilli powder</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">1/4 tsp turmeric</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">1/2 tsp garam masala</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">salt to taste</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">1/4 cup water </div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro for garnishing</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Method:</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Heat butter in a pan on medium-high heat. Once hot add jeera seeds till they splutter and then the ginger-garlic paste. Saute till slightly brown, then add the onion and cook till it turns deep brown (use a little salt to fasten this process). Now add tomatoes, all the spices and cook till the oil separates from the onion-tomato mix. Add salt (and check for the other spices) and water, till it has a fairly fluid consistency but isn't runny. When the gravy starts bubbling, spread it evenly in the pan in a single layer and gently add cracked eggs one by one on top of the gravy. Take care that the yolks remain intact, the whites will spread all over the pan, that is ok. Now cover the pan and cook for exactly five minutes, at this point the eggs should be coated with a thin white film. Turn off the stove, garnish with cilantro and serve immediately.</div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Today's primal dinner was anda masala (2 eggs), a small bowl of leftover spinach dal (made using moong dal) and carrot sticks. </div>Vaidehihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16090635366436541991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848278255289260121.post-16247657196698274972012-03-15T18:22:00.000-07:002012-03-31T12:15:11.915-07:00Yes...Indian Primal Appetizers!<div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">After turning primal I have come to realize that it is difficult to eat healthy when you are out traveling and it takes some serious effort to eat so! This weekend I attended a potluck party where I was determined to make my dish primal, so I opted to make these appetizers, stuffed jalapenos and grilled shrimp. They were easy to make, less time consuming (I didn't want to spend a good deal of time in the kitchen) and turned out to be hit with everyone! One thing common in both these dishes is that I used the broil mode of the oven to cook them, </span><span style="font-size: small;"> I don't know the exact technical differences between</span> broiling or grilling, but imho broiling gives the closest effect of grilling indoors! It does generate a lot of smoke indoor so be prepared for that smoke alarm! </div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Stuffed Jalapenos </span></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">This appetizer is not completely primal because it includes chickpea flour, Indian chickpea flour is usually made after hulling and splitting the beans, which are then roasted and ground into flour this takes takes care of anti-nutrients concentrated in seed coat. Stuffed chillies make a regular appearance in my mom's kitchen during chilli season but I couldnt remember the recipe very well and didnt want to call her at an odd time, so I made them based on <a href="http://jugalbandi.info/2011/10/stuffed-jalapenos-with-besan-chickpea-flour/">this</a> recipe from Jugalbandi. I modified the recipe by completely skipping the tempering step, but the tempering can added to the stuffing before filling in the jalapenos for added flavor. One important lesson I learned while making this was 'ALWAYS WEAR GLOVES WHILE HANDLING JALAPENOS' yes it needs to be yelled out because after I was done stuffing the jalapenos, my hands burned for over two hours! This in spite of having oiled my hands with coconut oil!! It was only after I applied some after-shave lotion did I feel better! Moving on to the recipe, it serves 20 people or so but can be easily halved for less number of people.</span></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">30 mid sized jalapenos</span></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">2 cups besan (chick-pea flour available in Indian grocery stores)</span></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 cup grated coconut (I used frozen)</span></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 and 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro</span></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">5 Tbsp sesame seeds toasted </span></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 tsp turmeric powder </span></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Juice of one lemon</span></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">1tsp salt</span></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/3 cup olive oil </span></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wash the jalapenos well and pat them dry. Chop the tops off, make one slit lengthwise and remove the seeds and pith from inside (particularly important if that jalapeno variety is hot), keep aside. Roast the besan on medium heat till it gives off a nutty fragrance and becomes slightly dark in color (this can also be done in the oven at 350F for 10 mins). Once the besan is well roasted add coconut, cilantro, sesame seeds, turmeric, lemon juice and salt, combine everything till well mixed. Now using the olive oil make a stiff dough such that if held in a fist tightly it holds shape, use olive oil only as needed by adding little at a time. Now stuff the jalapenos with this dough and line them on a broiler pan. Brush them slightly with oil and broil them till the surface is charred. Once done flip them and let the other side cook. These are done quickly, they require only about 5 minutes on each side. Garnish with finely chopped cilantro and serve hot.</span></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Grilled Shrimp</span></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is another fairly simple recipe, all I did was marinated the shrimp in green cilantro-mint chutney and broiled them. The key here is marination time, the longer you marinate the better they will taste.</span></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">40 jumbo shrimp (wild caught)</span></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">2 cups packed cilantro</span></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">handful of mint leaves&nbsp;</span></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">10 cloves of garlic</span></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">1.5 inch ginger piece</span></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">10 green chillies (I used small ones) </span></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">&nbsp;3 tbsp lime juice</span></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">1tsp black pepper </span></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 tsp salt</span></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/4 cup olive oil</span></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Clean and de-vein the shrimp, pat them completely dry. I left the tails on, you can choose to remove them. In a blender or a spice grinder make a thick-smooth paste of the rest of the ingredients using olive oil only, do not add any water at all. Marinate the shrimp in this paste for a minimum of 30 minutes (overnight is preferred). Before cooking, thread them on pre-soaked bamboo skewers and arrange them on a broiler pan. Brush them with olive oil, broil them for about 8 minutes on each side till the marinade has dried out and appears very slightly charred. Keep a close eye while in the oven as they get cooked very fast. To serve, arrange them on a plate, sprinkle some lemon juice on top.</span></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div>Vaidehihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16090635366436541991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848278255289260121.post-39414480489299784912012-03-03T21:34:00.003-08:002012-03-31T12:17:24.203-07:00Indian coastal style green chicken curry from my memories<div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">I grew up in Mumbai (former Bombay) but my dad's family is from a small village on the western coast of Maharashtra called Malvan, he moved to Mumbai when he was in 10th grade.&nbsp;<a href="http://malvan-tourism.com/">Malvan</a> is no longer the village it used to be and has turned in to a tourist spot for people seeking a coastal alternative to close-by Goa. I have lovely memories from having spend every single summer vacation in the village which we all as a family looked forward to getting away from the city. </span><span style="font-size: small;">A typical day used to be something like this: wake up early have tea and light breakfast, then make a beeline for the village lake to avoid later crowds, swim for 2 hours or so and then get trek back eating a light snack on the way. Have lunch after noon and then either nap or run around, play, explore, read in my gandma's farm all afternoon long. In the evening we used to walk to some local spots or the beach, dinner prep started early because everyone ate early there unlike in cities, I used to help mom in the prep then :) Post dinner we just sat around chatting (the real one not virtual one), played cards or star gazed (there was no tv)!! Ha...such was life then which I am so glad I got to experience!! We also enjoyed nature's abundance, </span><span style="font-size: small;">during the summer it was the tastiest-of-all <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hapoos_mango">hapus</a> </i>mangoes, jack-fruit and sun-ripened cashew nuts from my grandmas farm! We also enjoyed lovely coconut products and fresh catch from the sea.There was something about the village air or water that made even simple meals taste exceptional! </span></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">This particular recipe is from the cuisine that is fairly typical of coastal region near the village. It is fresh coconut based (abundant in the region) making use of cilantro, mint and freshly roasted and ground spices. Make sure you use whole pastured (deshi) chicken, which is low in pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids, with all the organs and bones because that's where the flavor comes from. I enjoy this curry with a side of kokum kadhi (a&nbsp;<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kokum">kokum</a> fruit based coconut drink, the recipe of which I have <a href="http://whatindianprimal.blogspot.com/2012/03/kadhi-for-soul-and-some-crunch.html">shared</a>) and a small amount of steamed white rice. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><u style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ingredients</u><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">:</span><br style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 whole chicken (pastured) cut into bite size pieces</span><br style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1/2 tsp turmeric powder</span><br />1 tsp salt<br />1 + 2 tbsp Ghee<br />1 tbsp coriander seeds<br />1 tsp cumin seeds<br />4-5 cardamom pods<br />1/2 tsp cloves<br />1/2 tsp whole pepper corns<br />1 tbsp finely chopped ginger<br />1 tbsp finely chopped garlic</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">1 cup shredded coconut (fresh/frozen)</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">2 cups packed cilantro<br />4 green chilies (like thai bird)<br />5 leaves of mint<br />2 tbsp lemon juice<br />2 tbsp yogurt</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 bay leaf (Indian type)<br />1 large onion (or 2 medium) finely chopped<br />1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro and 2 slit green chilies for garnishing.<br /><br /><u>Method</u></span> <span style="font-size: small;">:<br />In a bowl take the chicken, make deep cuts in it using a knife, rub turmeric and salt all over it and keep aside.<br />Heat 1 tbsp of ghee in a pan at low-medium heat, when hot add coriander, cumin, cardamom, cloves, peppercorns, toss them around for about 30 secs and then add ginger-garlic. Fry together till the garlic no longer smells raw. (Spices should appear slightly toasted and ginger-garlic light brown, be careful not burn them.) Remove the pan from heat and keep aside to cool down.<br />In a blender add the coconut, cilantro, green chilies, mint, lemon juice, yogurt and the roasted whole spices. Grind them to a fine paste using water only as needed. Marinate the chicken in this paste for a minimum of 20 mins (or overnight for best results).<br />To make the curry heat 2 tbsp of ghee in a pan (can use the same one used earlier for roasting spices) on a medium-high, add the bay leaf and onions once the oil is hot. Stir around till the onions become golden-brown; add a little salt to speed up the process. Once the onions are done, lower the heat to a low-medium, add the chicken along with the paste. If any paste is sticking to the bowl, rinse it out with water and add that water to the pan. Cover the pan and cook till chicken is done all the way (about 20 mins.) Finally check for the salt content and adjust as per your taste. Garnish with finely chopped cilantro and slit green chilies. </span></div>Vaidehihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16090635366436541991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848278255289260121.post-76524296240775790712012-02-28T19:56:00.000-08:002012-02-28T19:58:15.459-08:00Breakfast smoothies<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Since I no longer drink milk, what to eat for breakfast used to be my biggest question. In my pre-primal days I usually had coffee with toast or cereal in a cup with cold milk (Honey bunches of oats, almond was my favorite). I am always on a tight schedule (read late) in the mornings so I was looking for an easy and quick recipe. I now eat a varied breakfast (I will soon post other recipes) and smoothies are my favorite, not to mention that they can be prepared in no time. The recipes are in part inspired by <a href="http://primalsmoothies.com/">Todally Primal Smoothies</a> and the <a href="http://jugalbandi.info/2011/08/fat-bomb-smoothie/">Fat Bomb Smoothie.</a> I make these depending on the ingredients</span></span><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> I have at hand. Both recipes are coconut milk based, coconut milk is full of saturated fat and <a href="http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/article10065.htm">medium chain triglycerides which are burned as fuel by the body</a>. The first one is&nbsp; a chocolate-berry based smoothie, remember both chocolate and berries are full of good antioxidants. And the second one contains almond butter which is again a good source of <a href="http://www.marksdailyapple.com/almonds/#axzz1nVmD2fjq">protein and fat.</a> </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Choco-berry smoothie</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">makes 1 serving</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ingredients:</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1/4 cup blue berries</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2-3 strawberries halved</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1-2 tsp raw local honey </span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 cup full fat coconut milk</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4-5 cubes of ice (optional)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Blend all the ingredients together in a&nbsp; blender till smooth and serve in a tall glass, tada!!</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Almond banana Smoothie </span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">makes 1 serving</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ingredients:</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2 Tbsp almond butter</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 tsp </span><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">unsweetened cocoa powder</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 banana&nbsp; </span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1-2 tsp raw local honey</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3/4th cup full fat coconut milk</span><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">&nbsp;4-5 cubes of ice </span><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(optional)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">&nbsp;</span><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Blend all the ingredients together in a&nbsp; blender till smooth and serve in a tall glass.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">You can make innumerable combinations of smoothies depending on what you have. They are quick to make and will keep you full until lunch time.&nbsp; </span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">&nbsp; </span>Vaidehihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16090635366436541991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848278255289260121.post-14283488702149390402012-02-26T07:53:00.000-08:002012-04-01T14:55:30.477-07:00Key to good health<style><!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Times; panose-1:2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:128; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:fixed; mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;} @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:128; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:fixed; mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} --></style> <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">I believe I have the key, the key to good health that is. Let me explain how, it has increasingly become clear that no matter how small or big a disease is, its root cause lies in inflammation of some sort. Acute inflammation is our body's first response to treat any injury, however when inflammation becomes sustained and constant that is when the big diseases are born. Amongst the many reasons for inflammation, diet is the top one and within our diet it's the delicate balance of omega 6 (n6) to omega 3 (n3) fatty acids that we should be specifically paying attention to. Both omega 6 and 3 are essential fatty acids that are components of the cell wall and are involved in the inflammatory response pathway. Since the human body can’t make them, they have to be acquired through diet. Historically man has eaten a diet consisting of n6:n3 in a ratio of 1~2:1, but with the advent of agriculture and increased consumption of grains (and more processed food) this ratio has been significantly altered to 20~30:1. This skewed ratio combined with our sedentary, ill-rested, disconnected-from-nature, stressful lifestyle has led us to poor health. (More about it <a href="http://www.ajcn.org/content/70/3/560S.full">here</a>)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />How was the paleolithic man able to maintain a 1~2:1 ratio?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Paleolithic people ate a diet high in fats and protein and low in carbs because of their hunter-gatherer/forager lifestyle. Their diet included grass fed game meat (duh they didn’t have concentration camp meat then), fresh caught fish, seasonal (pesticide free off course) veggies, fruits and nuts they could forage! No grains or sugar for them (unless it was from fruits and honey). They also led an active lifestyle with lot of outdoor time. They were strong and there are no records that any of them suffered from today's maladies or diseases of civilization as we call them. This is true for today's existing hunter-gatherer societies as well. Now grains are packed with the pro-inflammatory n6 omegas on the other hand grass fed meats and wild caught fish are a good source of inflammation reducing n3 omegas, so there you go increased grain consumption is in part responsible for the skewed the n6:n3 ratio! Hah now that's some cud to chew on right!<br /><br />So what do we do in-order to be really healthy??<br />1) Embrace fats: Start chanting to yourself "Saturated fat is my best friend". There is no clear cut evidence specifically stating that saturated fats are responsible for obesity or coronary heart disease <a href="http://www.fathead-movie.com/index.php/no-bologna-facts/">check this</a>! In fact increased blood triglycerides levels which are markers of poor coronary health are not caused due to increased fat intake but due to <a href="http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Cholesterol/AboutCholesterol/What-Your-Cholesterol-Levels-Mean_UCM_305562_Article.jsp#.T0pCHyMyfZY">increased carbohydrate intake</a>. If fats and specifically saturated fats were that bad our body wouldn't have used them as a storage vehicle for any excess circulating sugar. Fats are absolutely necessary for development and normal functioning of organs such as brain, skin (they also protectively line all the organs) and in absorbance of fat-soluble vitamins and countless other nutrients. Low-fat food is doing you no good, as there is little fat available to absorb nutrients from the already nutrient poor food that we eat!<br /><br />2) Shun the Neo-carbs: Neo carbs are carbs that originated in the Neolithic age with the advent of agriculture. Avoid grains completely. Same goes for sugar. If you really have to eat grains then make sure your have <a href="http://www.westonaprice.org/food-features/be-kind-to-your-grains">soaked, sprouted or fermented</a> them (time consuming) or there are always alternatives such as nutrient dense almond flour or coconut flour that can be made into any of the current flour products. To sweeten your food you can always use raw honey, stevia, agave nectar etc.&nbsp; Embrace the good carbs, which are organic veggies and fruits and eats tons of them! To think about it carbohydrate is not even an essential nutrient; the body can get its energy just fine by breaking down fats and proteins! The reason society is so obsessed with them is because they are cheap, farmed hence readily available all year round, robust to survive the processing, can survive for long period&nbsp;and provide instant decent amount of energy because they are broken down easily. Any nutrients available in grains can be easily found in other veggies, fruits or even meat in comparable or higher quantities! <br />&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br />So in my opinion a healthy diet is one that is something like following:</span></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">1) Complete avoidance of grains, sugar and any dubious refined oils! (Paleo diets shun legumes, I include them only if they have been sprouted or soaked for long hours in an acidic medium, occasionally I include Indian fermented grain dishes). <br />2) Lot of veggies, meat (grass fed/pastured only), eggs, fruits, nuts and seeds.<br />3) Dairy if you really have to then it should be raw (non-pasteurized and non homogenized) and full fat. But go ahead and include the cultured dairy products such as yogurt, cream, crème fraiche, buttermilk, cheese, butter and ghee (all from grass fed cows milk only). <br />4) All the good fats like coconut oil (organic and virgin), organic extra Virgin olive oil (the one in dark bottle, preferably in salads), butter and ghee (from grass fed cow milk). <br />At first these may seem like a lot of restrictions, but I think of this eating style as the way we should be eating in the first place. This diet supplemented with exercise (strength building rather than cardio) and outdoor activity is the key to good health!<br /><br /><a href="http://jugalbandi.info/2011/02/grains-are-the-staff-of-life-and-assorted-bullshit/">Jugalbandi</a> and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.marksdailyapple.com/definitive-guide-to-the-primal-eating-plan/#axzz1nMmA3GsN">Mark Sisson</a> have already said a lot on hows and whys of primal eating, you can check them out for further reading.</span></div>Vaidehihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16090635366436541991noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848278255289260121.post-26818436830648207792012-02-23T19:47:00.000-08:002012-02-26T08:17:12.264-08:00Test Post<div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">What Indian and Primal?? is my culinary journey to good health with a fiery Indian tadka!! The title of my blog, juxtaposition of Indian and Primal is so to highlight the non-primal way of Indian cooking. On this blog I will post my reasons, research and recipes about Primal living. Hopefully this will help me keep track of my Primal journey and encourage others to make changes in their diet as well. Oh and about what is Primal/Paleo eating check the following info-graphic from greatist.com:</span></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.greatist.com/health/the-ultimate-guide-to-eating-paleo-022012/attachment/the-ultimate-guide-to-eating-paleo/" rel="attachment wp-att-28328"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-28328" height="5443" src="http://www.greatist.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/The-Ultimate-Guide-to-Eating-Paleo.png" title="The Ultimate Guide to Eating Paleo" width="600" /></a>More <a href="http://www.greatist.com/">Health and Fitness</a> News &amp; Tips at Greatist.</span></div>Vaidehihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16090635366436541991noreply@blogger.com0